THE HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS– 50 Years of Pupi Avati’s Horror Masterpiece

THE HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS (1976) d. Pupi Avati (Italy)

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Pupi Avati’s The House with Laughing Windows (1976) is one of the most quietly unsettling films in the history of Italian horror, a slow-burn nightmare that lingers long after its final moments. Set in the foggy, insular villages of rural Emilia-Romagna, the film follows Stefano, a young restorer hired to repair a disturbing fresco depicting the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian. As Stefano settles into the community, he begins to sense that the artwork - and the people surrounding it - are tied to something deeply wrong.

Rather than relying on gore or shocks, Avati builds dread through atmosphere, implication, and an almost suffocating sense of isolation. Sunlit landscapes feel hostile, friendly neighbors seem slightly off, and every unanswered question pulls Stefano further into danger. The film’s sound design, muted performances, and methodical pacing create a creeping unease that feels both grounded and nightmarish.

Often compared to the work of Dario Argento yet strikingly different in tone, The House with Laughing Windows stands apart for its realism and restraint. It’s a film about curiosity, artistic obsession, and the terror of uncovering truths that were meant to stay buried. Widely regarded as Avati’s masterpiece, it remains a haunting example of how subtle horror can be far more devastating than spectacle.

Join AC and his incredible panel of giallo-loving folk (Steve Archacki, Jorge Didaco, Bryan Martinez, Lin Morris, Nathaniel Thompson) as we celebrate 50 years of THE HOUSE WITH LAUGHING WINDOWS!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWia9KJSPH4

BONUS!!!

Jon Kitley (Kitley's Krypt), Bryan Martinez (The Giallo Room), and AC sat down with Ian Simmons of Kicking the Seat a couple years back for another round of ACCADEMIA GIALLO, our ongoing series exploring the sexiest, scariest, and sleaziest that Italy (and other purveyors of Euro-horror) have to offer. Check out our discussion of The House with Laughing Windows HERE:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3GNQW-G_Pc

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